US President Joe Biden (Anadolu Agency)

The White House said yesterday, Wednesday, that President Joe Biden signed an order protecting Palestinians in the United States from deportation for the next 18 months, noting the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

According to Reuters, a Biden administration official stated that under this step, 6,000 Palestinians will be eligible for the “deferred forced departure” program.

The New York Times reported that protection applies to about 6,000,000 Palestinians, under a law that allows immigrants to remain in the United States if their homelands are experiencing a crisis.

In turn, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement that following what he described as "the horrific terrorist attack launched by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023 and the Israeli military response that followed, humanitarian conditions in Gaza have deteriorated significantly." Sullivan added that Biden's move will give Palestinians in the United States a "temporary safe haven," explaining that anyone who voluntarily returns to the Palestinian territories will lose the protection he enjoys.

Urgent need

Reuters quoted Abed Ayoub, Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, as saying in a statement that there is a “urgent need” to take measures to protect Palestinians in the United States. He added, "We see that the situation in Gaza and Palestine is not improving. The decision is welcome and we are happy to see it implemented."

For its part, Agence France-Presse says that the new decision comes as Biden faces increasing anger. Because of his support for the Israeli attack on Gaza in the election year.

Biden administration officials recently visited Michigan, where a large Muslim population resides, to communicate with local community leaders about their concerns about the war.

With more than 4 months having passed since the outbreak of the war, Biden is facing pressure to do more to protect the Palestinians in Gaza and bring aid into the Strip. He also faces criticism from Arab Americans and Muslims for not calling for a permanent ceasefire in the conflict.

The ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has led to the martyrdom of at least 28,500 Palestinians since October 7th.

Source: Agencies